ALP to power ahead with uranium sales

The ALP national conference has voted in favour of exporting uranium to India by 206 to 185 votes, in a closer-than-expected result.

The vote on Sunday amends the party platform to remove policy details that would prevent any Labor government exporting uranium to a nation that was not a signatory of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

India is not a signatory, but has gained approval from a global group, the nuclear suppliers group, and imports uranium from the United States under safeguards similar to those in the treaty.

The vote came after heated debate including criticism of Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
for proposing the amendments to the party platform.

Ms Gillard told delegates that the changes would clear the way for a stronger relationship with India, a rising power in the region.

Defence Minister
Stephen Smith
continued that theme by telling the conference that everyone talked of the rise of China but that India’s rise was just as important.

Resources Minister
Martin Ferguson
said exporting uranium to India would help the nation grow while helping to keep its greenhouse gas emissions lower than otherwise, helping the global effort to prevent global warming.

But there were strong arguments against the change by Transport Minister
Anthony Albanese
, Education Minister
Peter Garrett
and others.

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Mr Garrett said the change weakened the party’s commitment to nuclear disarmament.

“What we are now saying is that we will make a one-off exception to a policy that has been held by Australian governments of both political persuasions for nearly four decades," Mr Garrett said.

Speaking after the debate, Mr Garrett said he was disappointed but would be arguing strongly in caucus for “stringent safeguards".

Left faction co-convenor Doug Cameron told the conference he didn’t want Labor’s light on the hill to become “a green pulsating nuclear light".

“Prime minister, you are wrong," Senator Cameron said.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy was almost moved to tears as he spoke about his family’s experiences living in England near the Windscale nuclear plant at which there was a major incident in 1957.

“I’ve never voted for it, and I’m not going to vote for it today," Senator Conroy said.

Greens senator Sarah-Hanson Young said outside the conference it was disappointing that Ms Gillard was lining up with former Liberal prime minister John Howard on uranium.

“This is Julia Gillard living John Howard all over again," Senator Hanson-Young said.

In a final-day pep talk to ALP members, former prime minister Kevin Rudd – who went unmentioned in Ms Gillard’s opening address – praised the prime minister twice and criticised Opposition Leader Tony Abbott for having a narrow world view.